Folding bicycle-rack



(-No Model.) 2 Sheets8heet A. F. TEMPLEr FOLDING BICYCLE RACK;

No. 590,443. Patented Sept. 21, 1897.

(No ModeI.) 2 Sh eetsShee't 2'.

A. P. TEMPLE. FOLDING BICYCLE RACK.

No. 590,443. Patented Sept. 21, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEIGE.

ANSEL F. TEMPLE, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.

FOLDING BlCYCLE-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 590,443, dated September 21, 1897.

Application filed July 31, 1896. Serial No. 601,222. (No model.)

Be it known that I, ANsEL F. TEMPLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at M us kegon, in the county of Muskegon and'State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Bicycle- Racks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in portable or folding bicycle-racks, the object of the invention being to provide a simple, cheap, and effective rack, made, preferably,of wood, for holding bicycles temporarily in an upright position while at rest and for other similar purposes; and the invention therefore consists, essentially, in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts, substantially as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective .view of my improved folding bicycle-rack when in its unfolded, upright, and operative position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the folded rack, the various positions of the upright portions of the rack being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the rack when folded. Fig. at is an inner side View of one of the side rails of the base-frame, showing the spring-provided slot that receives the bottom portion of the upright part of the rack. Fig. 5 is a detail cross-section on the line 50 a: of Fig. 4..

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the different figures of the drawings.

In carrying my invention into practical effeet I provide a base-frame, preferably of rectangular form, consisting, essentially, of the side bars A A, connected together at their ends by the rods or bars 13 B. The rods or bars 13 B are provided at intervals with projections along their upper edge, between which projections the wheelsof bicycles may rest. Said projections may be formed in many various ways. One method of furnishin g them is accomplished by making a longitudinal slot I) in the rod 13 and placing in said the slot and the bends C O of which project from the slot above the edge of rod 13, thus affording curved or rounded projections between which the wheels of the bicycles may easily and neatly rest. I do not wish, however, to be restricted to a bent wire for making the necessary projections, but reserve the liberty of placing projections on these parallel rods B B in any other way that may be found most desirable and easiest of arrangement.

An upright frame D, designed at times to be folded down upon the base-frame and at times to be situated upright thereon, is provided, the same being represented clearly in Fig. 1 in its upright position and being shown in Fig. 3 in its horizontal position, Where it rests upon the base-frame, while in Fig. 2 it is indicated in dotted lines, and the method of transferring'it from one position to the other is accurately portrayed, so that its movement will be clearly understood from inspection of the latter figure. This folding frame D consists of an upper horizontal rail E and a lower parallel horizontal rail F, be-

tween which is a series of connecting parallel rods e e e of suitable size and located at a proper distance apart to admit between them the bicycle-wheels which rest in the frame, so thatitwillbe thus understoodthatsaid wheels not only rest between the projections O C in the base-frame, but also are thrust into the spaces between the parallel rods 8 6. This folding frame D may vary considerably in its precise construction and in the form and number of its parts in order to more thoroughly adapt it for the use for which it is intended.

G G designate links or connecting-bars, which are pivoted to the base-frame by being pivotally attached to the ends of the bars A A or upon the ends of the bars B B, as shown clearly in Fig. 1, and which are also pivoted to the outermost rods 6 e of the folding frame D.

The inner opposing faces of the parallel bars A A of the base-frame are provided with incut slots or recesses a of suitable size and shape to receive within them the ends of the lower rod F of the folding frame D. These slots or recesses a are provided with curved springs H, secured to the bars A by means of the staples h hf or by any other suitable means, said springs I-I having the inwardlyslot a bent wire which is firmly secured in 1 bent ends h h located near the upper edge of the recesses a and projecting over the face of said recesses, so that when the ends of the lower rod F enter the recesses they will engage the spring H, and as they pass beneath the projecting ends h h the springs H will clasp and tightly grip the ends of rod F, thereby holding it and the folding frame firmly in an upright position, as shown in Fig. l. The blocks A A, which are pivoted on the upper edges of the side bars A A, are adapted to button over the ends of the rod F after the latter has been brought into engagement with the slots ct. Then the folding frame D has been folded down upon the base-frame, these buttons A A may serve to hold the folding frame close to the base-frame, all as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. It will be obvious that-the folding frame may easily be disengaged from the slots a a whenever it is desired to fold it down upon the base-frame for purposes of transportation or otherwise.

The folding frame D is preferably provided with a couple of slots ff, which are out in the central rod e at points near the ends of said rod, as shown in Fig. 1, these slots f being for the purpose of being engaged by the wire loops 1 I, that are connected to the bent wires belonging to the base-bars B, said engagement of the wires I with the slots f taking place when the folding frame B rests upon the base-frame, as shown in Fig. 3, in order that the frame D may be firmly held upon the base-frame.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a folding bicycle-rack, the combination with the side bars formed with recesses in their inner sides, the curved springs seated in said recesses having their ends turned outwardly, and the parallel end rods connecting said side bars, provided with wheel-holding projections, of the folding frame consisting of the parallel bars between which bicyclewheels are adapted to engage, the connecting-bars and the links pivotally connected with said folding frame and one of the rods connecting said side bars, substantially as described.

2. In a folding bicycle-rack, the combination with the side bars having recesses in their inner sides, the curved springs seated in said recesses with outwardly-turned ends, the connecting-rods formed with longitudinal slots in their upper sides, and the corrugated wires seated in said slots forming a series of wheel -holding projections, of the folding frame comprising a series of vertical bars, a top connecting-bar, a bottom connecting-bar having its ends embraced by said springs, the pivoted turn-buttons and the links pivotally connected with the outer vertical bars of said frame and with one of the slotted rods, substantially as described.

3. In a folding bicycle-rack of the character described, the combination with the side bars and the folding frame, of the rods connecting said side bars, formed with longitndinal slots in the upper sides, the corrugated wires or bars seated in said slots forming upwardly-extending wheel-holdin g projections, the wire loops secured to said wires adapted to engage with slots in one of the vertical bars of the folding frame, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANSEL F. TEMPLE.

Vitnesses:

R. M. DURGIN, WM. CARPENTER. 

